Please help me with the equipment selection for my 90 gallon.

[mapleredta]

Alright, I want this tank to be a SPS dominant tank. Maybe one or two softies. And according to the girlfriend, she wants to see lots of colorful fish.:lol2:If you have links for certain items that are at a great price, please post it up. Of course I will be checking with our great sponsors before I make any decisions.
1). Black sand, I think ill need about a 100lbs.
2). Power head: Two MP40 vortechs
3). Heater, I am unsure which I need to purchase.
4). Refractometer, again, unsure which one I need to purchase. I've heard good things about the ebay ones.
5). RO/DI unit: I previously had a unit from the filter guys. http://www.thefilterguys.biz/water_saver_ro_di.htm">http://www.thefilterguys.biz/water_saver_ro_di.htm</a> (OCEAN REEF MISER SIX STAGE RO/DI 150 GPD) I am sure I will need the booster pump again as well.
6). Skimmer: Reef Octopus DNWB 150 Recirculating Protein skimmer (have heard nothing but great things about Octopus skimmers)
7). Lighting: TEK T5 48" fixture 8 bulb, 54 watts. Do you believe this would be enough light for sps's?
8). CA reactor: No idea
9). Controller: Thinking of either the Reef keeper ELITE or the APEX. Unsure which I should purchase.
10). Salt: RC or Instant ocean.
11). Test kits: Salifert test kits

If there is anything that I may have missed please inform me. Christmas time is right around the corner and people never know what to get me. I found the perfect solution for that problem this year.

 

[cdub]

i would steer away from a tek fixture, go with a retrofit kit either normal or overdriven, also what size tank is it for? that makes a big difference in some of the equipment!

 

[cdub]

oops, didn't see the 90g in the title.

 

[mapleredta]

cdub;410887 wrote: oops, didn't see the 90g in the title.

Yeah. This is Rostato's old 90. One of yall bought the light fixture I couldn't afford at the time.:lol2:

 

[weaglereefer]

Make sure if you do go 8 bulb that the lights will fit over the tank. Some of the reflectors are pretty big and an 8 bulb setup with individual reflectors may leave bulbs hanging over the front or back, wasting light.

 

[mapleredta]

au01st;410890 wrote: Make sure if you do go 8 bulb that the lights will fit over the tank. Some of the reflectors are pretty big and an 8 bulb setup with individual reflectors may leave bulbs hanging over the front or back, wasting light.

Great point. I need to do some measuring and make sure whatever I purchase will fit.

 

[cdub]

I tried to put 8 bulbs over my 120 and the back 2 were mainly lighting the dual overflows, so I took them out

 

[harleyguy]

mapleredta;410859 wrote: Alright, I want this tank to be a SPS dominant tank. Maybe one or two softies. And according to the girlfriend, she wants to see lots of colorful fish.:lol2:If you have links for certain items that are at a great price, please post it up. Of course I will be checking with our great sponsors before I make any decisions.
1). Black sand, I think ill need about a 100lbs.
2). Power head: Two MP40 vortechs
3). Heater, I am unsure which I need to purchase.
4). Refractometer, again, unsure which one I need to purchase. I've heard good things about the ebay ones.
5). RO/DI unit: I previously had a unit from the filter guys. http://www.thefilterguys.biz/water_saver_ro_di.htm">http://www.thefilterguys.biz/water_saver_ro_di.htm</a> (OCEAN REEF MISER SIX STAGE RO/DI 150 GPD) I am sure I will need the booster pump again as well.
6). Skimmer: Reef Octopus DNWB 150 Recirculating Protein skimmer (have heard nothing but great things about Octopus skimmers)
7). Lighting: TEK T5 48" fixture 8 bulb, 54 watts. Do you believe this would be enough light for sps's?
8). CA reactor: No idea
9). Controller: Thinking of either the Reef keeper ELITE or the APEX. Unsure which I should purchase.
10). Salt: RC or Instant ocean.
11). Test kits: Salifert test kits

If there is anything that I may have missed please inform me. Christmas time is right around the corner and people never know what to get me. I found the perfect solution for that problem this year.[/QUOTE]

All this is my opinion of course but here it goes:
[B]1). Black sand, I think ill need about a 100lbs.[/B] Try Tim at [IMG]http://www.keenreef.com/">Keen Reef </a>He has great prices and assuming you are doing a "standard" 120g (48x24x24) you will need 180lbs to get a 3" sandbed [IMG]http://www.reefcentral.com/index.php/sand-bed-calculator">(Sandbed Calculator)</a>
[B]3). Heater, I am unsure which I need to purchase.[/B] The [IMG]http://www.marineland.com/sites/Marineland/products/productdetail.aspx?id=2054&cid=1223&mid=3226">Stealth Hearters </a>are the best and they are cheap. Chris at [IMG]http://www.einsteinaquatics.com/Einstein_Aquatics/Welcome.html">Einstein Aquatics </a>has great prices
[B]4). Refractometer, again, unsure which one I need to purchase.[/B] I've heard good things about the ebay ones. I have this one [IMG]http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4345+12132&pcatid=12132">LINK</a> it's pricy but works great
[B]5). RO/DI unit: I previously had a unit from the filter guys. [/B][IMG]http://www.thefilterguys.biz/water_saver_ro_di.htm">[B]http://www.thefilterguys.biz/water_saver_ro_di.htm[/B]</a>[B] (OCEAN REEF MISER SIX STAGE RO/DI 150 GPD) I am sure I will need the booster pump again as well.[/B] Sounds good to me :)
[B]6). Skimmer: Reef Octopus DNWB 150 Recirculating Protein skimmer (have heard nothing but great things about Octopus skimmers).[/B] You also might consider [IMG]http://www.myreefcreations.com/">MRC</a>... They are local and make a killer product for the price...
[B]7). Lighting: TEK T5 48" fixture 8 bulb, 54 watts. Do you believe this would be enough light for sps's? [/B]Personally I'm more of a MH guy
[B]8). CA reactor: No idea. [/B]See [IMG]http://www.myreefcreations.com/">MRC </a>same reasons as #6
[B]9). Controller: Thinking of either the Reef keeper ELITE or the APEX. Unsure which I should purchase.[/B] I really like the APEX, super nice, clean, and Neptune Systems have been around for some time...
[B]10). Salt: RC or Instant ocean. [/B]That's a whole bag of worms that I really don't want to get into...
[B]11). Test kits: Salifert test kits. [/B]I would say spend a little more money here and go with [IMG]http://www.eloseurope.com/en/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=7&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=87">ELOS</a>... Chris at [IMG]http://www.einsteinaquatics.com/Einstein_Aquatics/Welcome.html">Einstein</a> is the man to see here as well...

Hope this helps,

Shane

 

[jesspete]

We're running an MR2 on our 90 and love it. Can't beat the great service we got from MRC on a skimmer we bought used! They still take care of their product even years later!

This thing is a monster.

 

[william1]

That tek light would work great, same light I used on my 90. Even had clams in the sand bed.

 

[mojo]

mapleredta;410859 wrote: 1). Black sand, I think ill need about a 100lbs.

Do yourself a favor and check the sand with a magnet before you buy it. We had some black sand in my wife's nano tank for a while, and it was ferrous, so any time we got the magnet too close, some sand would get embedded in the inside magnet. Not fun.

3). Heater, I am unsure which I need to purchase.

I really like http://www.aquaticeco.com/customers/subcategories/693/Finnex-Titanium-Heaters/heater/0">these</a>. No thermostat to go bad and no glass to break - just a simple plug and heater element encased in titanium. Run it from your Apex. Get two and stage them for higher efficiency. (one or both on, depending how low the temp is)

[QUOTE=]4). Refractometer, again, unsure which one I need to purchase. I've heard good things about the ebay ones.[/QUOTE]

They all work off the same principal. I don't see how an expensive one would be any better - probably just better built, but same results.


[QUOTE=]5). RO/DI unit: I previously had a unit from the filter guys. [IMG]http://www.thefilterguys.biz/water_saver_ro_di.htm">http://www.thefilterguys.biz/water_saver_ro_di.htm</a> (OCEAN REEF MISER SIX STAGE RO/DI 150 GPD) I am sure I will need the booster pump again as well.[/QUOTE]

Booster pump isn't necessary but makes the whole process much faster!

[QUOTE=]7). Lighting: TEK T5 48" fixture 8 bulb, 54 watts. Do you believe this would be enough light for sps's?[/QUOTE]

It is, and it's a nice unit if you like T5's (I have two, but don't like T5's). Overdriving it would probably be necessary. Or DIY it and save a little money, but when I added it up, it wasn't that much more to have a nice fixure.

[QUOTE=]8). CA reactor: No idea[/QUOTE]

MRC single stage are very nice.

[QUOTE=]9). Controller: Thinking of either the Reef keeper ELITE or the APEX. Unsure which I should purchase.[/QUOTE]

I'd recommend actually looking at both and playing with them before deciding.

 

[mapleredta]

mojo;410940 wrote: Do yourself a favor and check the sand with a magnet before you buy it. We had some black sand in my wife's nano tank for a while, and it was ferrous, so any time we got the magnet too close, some sand would get embedded in the inside magnet. Not fun.



I really like http://www.aquaticeco.com/customers/subcategories/693/Finnex-Titanium-Heaters/heater/0">these</a>. No thermostat to go bad and no glass to break - just a simple plug and heater element encased in titanium. Run it from your Apex. Get two and stage them for higher efficiency. (one or both on, depending how low the temp is)



They all work off the same principal. I don't see how an expensive one would be any better - probably just better built, but same results.




Booster pump isn't necessary but makes the whole process much faster!



It is, and it's a nice unit if you like T5's (I have two, but don't like T5's). Overdriving it would probably be necessary. Or DIY it and save a little money, but when I added it up, it wasn't that much more to have a nice fixure.



MRC single stage are very nice.



I'd recommend actually looking at both and playing with them before deciding.[/QUOTE]
Thank you Mojo. I need to see if anybody around here has one of those controllers so I can look at them in person.

 

[mojo]

I have an Apex, if you want to come by at some point and play with it. Just PM me.

 

[smoothie]

William is selling a 48in fixture

 

[mapleredta]

mojo;410946 wrote: I have an Apex, if you want to come by at some point and play with it. Just PM me.

Thanks for the offer!:up:

Smoothie;410951 wrote: William is selling a 48in fixture

Yeah I know. I think I am going to have to miss out on this one.

 

[mapleredta]

ankur1113;410982 wrote: If you have canopy then you can get pre-wired ice-cap fixture for $300(4X48").

What kind of watts would that be putting out?

 

[cdub]

54w per bulb, or 80 if overdriven. Check reefgeek for retrofit ideas. Wiring it yourself is really not bad.

 

[mapleredta]

cdub;411011 wrote: 54w per bulb, or 80 if overdriven. Check reefgeek for retrofit ideas. Wiring it yourself is really not bad.

Did you get the one from Chris or is that somebody else in the wartown crew? That is a 6 bulb if I am not mistaken.

 

[cdub]

I bought mine new, the kits come with everything you need besides screws and a canopy.

 

[percula]

On the black sand, as mojo stated, make sure to get the CaribSea Hawaiian Black sand, as the Nature's Ocean (at one time the only one available) did have magnetic properties, luckily, Caribsea came out with a great non-magnetic sand